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Walking in the Peloponnese

£12.00

Landscapes of SOUTHERN PELOPONNESE: 5 car tours • 50 long and short walks

by Michael Cullen

This new Third edition of southern Peloponnese was revised on the ground just as few months prior to publication. There are several new walks to replace overgrown routes. The book is in our new, wider format — with larger type, easier on the eyes.

Click below to read walker’s reviews and use the ‘Look Inside’ feature on Amazon.co.uk (RRP £14.99)

Or, purchase the complete book as a downloadable PDF using the Add to Basket button below (£12).

There are hidden landscapes throughout mainland Greece, but the region which packs the most variety into the smallest space is the Peloponnese. From the beaches of Arcadia to the fir forests of Mt Parnon, from the olive groves of Kalamata to the pyramidal peak of Prophet Elijah, from classical Sparta to medieval Mani, this compact semi-island has it all. Though the ancients called it ‘the island of Pelops’, after their mythical king, this three-fingered landmass is joined to the mainland by a narrow isthmus at Corinth. Only in the 19th century was a canal finally cut through the isthmus, but it retains the cultural diversity and spectacular scenery of the mainland.

Because there’s so much to discover, the author has drawn an east-west line roughly through the middle of the Peloponnese, and limited the book to the southern half. By good fortune, this contains its highest mountain range (Mt Taygetus), its finest Byzantine chapels and medieval forts (in the Mani), its wildest seascapes (Capes Tainaron and Maleas), its largest forest (Mt Parnon) and, arguably, some of its loveliest beaches (Pylos, Kiparissi and Elafonisos, to name just a few.

The best months for walking in the Peloponnese are April and May, late September and October.

The Mani was probably our best ever holiday in Greece and your book played its part! (JHG, Walton-on-Thames)

[The Author] chose the Southern Peloponnese because it packs the most variety into the smallest space… I cannot recommend this guide more warmly. It may just infuse you too with a little madness for the mountains. (Athens News)

As someone who has enjoyed trekking in Greece with Michael, I can tell you that this book is almost as good as having him by your side. His directions are full of his characteristic wit and humor and he shares his deep knowledge of Greek culture effortlessly, providing nuggets of history, botany and such miscellany as how to deal with fierce sheepdogs. Reading his descriptions may whet your appetite for taking every single walk, but he also tells you where you might not want to go if your legs are a bit weak or you have no head for heights. But you don’t have to have stout calves and hiking boots to enjoy this book. It also includes five possible car itineraries that take in suggestions for picnic spots, short walks and local landmarks. You’ll find places in here that you won’t find in any guidebooks, because Michael has been exploring the Greek mountains since childhood and worked on this guide for 10 years. If you think Greece is just islands and beaches, this book will introduce you to its other side, one that most visitors barely suspect exists. You couldn’t be in better hands. (DFL, Amazon)

The best base for walking in the western finger is Pylos; for the central finger Kardamyli, Stoupa, Mystras or Anavriti; for the Mani Areopolis, Stavri or Gerolimenas; and for the eastern finger Leonidion, Polydroso, Velanidia or Neapoli.

Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in Southern Peloponnese given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably by e-mail, to info@sunflowerbooks.co.uk.

General: I would make it clear in the introductory text to the book that it is very easy to get taxis. We were a bit hesitant – but even people who didn’t speak English understood exactly what we wanted. (User, 8/19)

Walk 12: This was absolutely lovely, and the instructions were perfect. Only one comment: the start of the walk is hard to find, the red waymarks are almost completely hidden by vegetation. Worth noting, perhaps. You could also say that the path is between the long house which is mentioned in the text and a short uphill driveway leading to another house. We walked back and forth a couple of times before spotting the way marks. (User, 8/19)

Walk 15: On page 97: walkers should go straight ahead after passing through the broken down wall referred to, rather than following the (currently clearer) path across the gully. Returning from Leontakis, walkers should go left/ south below the graveyard to locate the well-constructed stone stepped path back.Hope that clarifies the route for Spring walkers, when it’s a bit overgrown. (User, 2/20)

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